A Review of The Ties That Bind by Electa Rome Parks

This novel introduces us to Brice and Christian, two best friends who loved roaming the streets for their next conquest. But once Brice met Mia, an ambitious, young and beautiful woman he turned in his player card for marriage.

Christian was very surprised that Brice got married but understood why when he met the lovely Mia. She was the type of woman who could make him turn his player card in too but she was married to his best friend.

Mia gave up finishing college and dreams of becoming a school teacher so that she could immerse herself into married life with Brice, who promised after a year that she could return to fulfill her dreams. That didn’t happen and as time went by, Mia began to see Brice’s true colors: he drank too much, was too controlling, very egotistical and physically abusive.

So, when she couldn’t keep hiding the bruises and the fights became more frequent, Christian stepped in and came to her rescue. This didn’t sit well with Brice because not only did he lose his wife, but he lost his best friend too. And in the end, the ties that bind were severed.

Electa Rome Parks delivered a novel that was very relevant to how folks view love and marriage. It’s not always a bed of roses and when abuse enters the picture, it’s sometimes difficult to get out of the situation. But I admired Mia. She had a support system and she was brave enough to walk away from a man she adored but ultimately didn’t really know. She pushed forward, finished her degree and looked toward a new future for herself.

Good read!

Some of my favorite lines:

Mia. I know I have lost her for good. I can’t even think of life without her. So I am not going to give up. I am not going to let her give up on us. I will get help. Go to therapy, do whatever it takes to win her back. I know that this is something I have to do for myself, not just for her. But I want her back if she will have me. I have never stopped loving her and never will. Mia is my African princess, my woman, my soul mate, my heart. It will take some time, but time is all I have now. My first stop will be resolving some issues with my father. Yeah, that’s definitely the first stop.

Christian and I have had a lifetime of friendship and love. I don’t know…my brotha betrayed me with my wife. No, he didn’t sleep with her or even make a move on her. In fact, he was the good friend that she needed when I was putting her through all those changes. But for Christian to lust after my wife, not just some man’s wife on the street, but me, his brotha. I don’t know…

Like I said before, I have all the time in the world. I have to take one day at a time. Everything will work out. It always does for me.

Rating: 4 stars

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